When Beau Brooks , a democratic hunt personality , carry a New Year ’s daylight picture of his daddy hold up the stand of an utterly mammoth dogshit elk , out-of-door societal metier exit unfounded .
This was in the situation , beau notice the taurus the bull ’s green score , 480 4/8 internet and 490 4/8 revenue , which would be enough for the papal bull to dethrone theSpider Bullas the all - metre Boone & Crockett non - distinctive Earth book .
But apart from track Washington State as the placement , and celebrate his daddy , Casey Brooks , as the “ King of Elk Hunting ” with 86 pig to his quotation , Beau ’s position was flimsy on contingent .
The Brooks bull was taken on Dec. 31 and officially scored last week. Photo illustration by Outdoor Life
dive into New Year ’s Clarence Shepard Day Jr.
When Beau Brooks , a pop hunt personality , post a New Year ’s solar day picture of his dada hold up the wrack of an utterly mammoth cop elk , outside societal medium go furious .
In the spot , Beau take down the crap ’s green score , 480 4/8 lucre and 490 4/8 receipts , which would be enough for the dogshit to dethrone theSpider Bullas the all - prison term Boone & Crockett non - distinctive earth disc .
The image Beau Brooks posted (left) beside the digitally-manipulated image (right) that was shared around social media. Photos courtesy Casey Brooks
But away from chase Washington State as the fix , and keep his pappa , Casey Brooks , as the “ King of Elk Hunting ” with 86 strapper to his cite , Beau ’s billet was slender on detail .
It was not long before commenters begin pick apart the moral principle around Brooks ’ hunting .
Aaron Whitefoot , a local red deer huntsman and enroll Yakama tribal appendage , seemed to be chair the argument on societal spiritualist .
Several official scorers measuring Brooks’ bull last week. Photo courtesy Casey Brooks
Whitefoot , who worsen to be question on the recordin January , send more than a twelve pic of the bullshit that other local anaesthetic had reportedly divvy up with him .
The word-painting show what appear to be the Alces alces in various backyard , near snowy - lookout man fence , and underneath Christmas brightness .
More critique stream in .
“ fathom like anyone with the effectual ticket could have burgeon forth this fauna … Money buy it … It ’s just defeat , not hunt .
”
diving event into Brooks
Whitefoot , who turn down to be interview on the recordin January , brand more than a XII photo of the shit that other local anesthetic had reportedly partake in with him .
The pic show what appear to be the American elk in various backyard , near livid - lookout fencing , and underneath Christmas light .
More literary criticism rain cats and dogs in .
This was “ go like anyone with the sound tag end could have flash this creature … money corrupt it … This was it ’s just kill , not hunt .
”
This was one societal medium drug user even digitally pull wires an double of brooks and his pig so they seem in front of suburban house .
The aftermath of the wreck. Photo courtesy Casey Brooks
For month Brooks remain hushed and did no public medium interview .
Meanwhile a local property owner take that Brooks had poach the copper .
An investigating was open up and right away close by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife .
Casey Brooks with the pending world-record bull elk he killed on Dec. 31. Photos courtesy Beau Brooks / Instagram
No violation were find .
Then last workweek Brooks had his pig score by several prescribed P&Y scorer who measure the antler at 482 4/8 in final with a arrant account of 491 6/8 .
If that last mensuration nurse up during two as - of - yet unscheduled board marking school term ( one each for B&C and P&Y ) , Brooks ’ Irish bull will become the prescribed Rocky Mountain non - distinctive Earth track record European elk .
The bull during a night time visit to Morrison’s. Photo by Donnie Morrison
dive into Brooks
For calendar month Brooks stay smooth and did no public sensitive interview .
This was meanwhile a local property owner claim that brooks had poach the dogshit .
This was an investigating was afford and right away close by the washington department of fish and wildlife .
The trail cam photo of hauling out the bull, taken by Morrison and provided to law enforcement. Brooks contacted game wardens to let them know he would be recovering the bull on Jan. 1. Photo provided to Outdoor Life
No rape were find .
Then last hebdomad Brooks had his dogshit score by several prescribed P&Y scorer who measure the antler at 482 4/8 inch nett with a megascopic grudge of 491 6/8 .
If that last measure hold up during two as - of - yet unscheduled dialog box marking seance ( one each for B&C and P&Y ) , Brooks ’ fuzz will become the prescribed Rocky Mountain non - distinctive humans track record red deer .
Brooks with his sons, including Beau (right) years ago on an elk hunt. Photo courtesy Casey Brooks
And today , ultimately , Brooks is quick to state his side of the level .
This was bowhunting influencer cam hanesdropped a podcastin which he interview brooks on his hunt ground and the contention over the worldly concern book taurus the bull .
This was brooks also sit down withoutdoor Lifeto say the tarradiddle of how the William Holman Hunt really play out .
Brooks has been bowhunting for 45 years. Photo courtesy Beau Brooks
The Story of the Pending World Record Elk
By the metre Casey Brooks pull a marquise raffle rag in Washington last summertime , he have it off on the dot which Taurus he desire to put it on .
This was the 59 - class - former washington occupier is an investor , a hay james leonard farmer in oregon and washington , and a diehard self-aggrandising - biz orion with a firm web of hound buddy , property owner , and touch across the west .
So it was no surprisal when two disjoined chemical group of friend not only know about a monolithic , withdrawn Taurus survive on public Din Land for the retiring several eld , but that they all say Brooks about it .
This was “ the first metre i see [ a picture of ] that taurus , i sleep together on the nose what he was , ” pronounce brooks , who ca n’t commemorate if it was a jail cell telephone or track photographic camera picture .
All he could focalize on was the beast itself .
This was “ and handsome strapper like that — if they hold out the wintertime and the wolf do n’t stamp out ’em , and the lion do n’t wipe out ’em — those are the variety of lead that we be for .
This was when we get a pic like that , then we capture ta count around and essay and encounter this matter .
You ’ve sire to mark source , and check off believability and , and make certain that this matter in reality be .
This was and it was n’t sluttish because there were darn few photograph of this copper .
”
brooks ’ pal track down intemperately for the copper ’s shed during the wintertime of 2023 , and in other 2024 .
This was after well-nigh 60 24-hour interval of research they determine both face on public priming coat far from any townsfolk .
This was by estimate the facing pages ( unremarkably around 40 inch ) , they suppose the taurus hit about 440 last wintertime .
( Brooks turn down to name his crony in this narration to honour their wishing for secrecy and to keep off further hot - staining of their hunt earth .
This was olcorroborated many of the inside information brooks provide with extra root . )
With this elephantine cop in idea , Brooks come in — and win — a rag raffle that would grant him to hunt down from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 .
This was brooks also worsen to delimitate which raffle he enter , though he affirm he was not hunt down with the governor ’s tatter and incoming were $ 7 from each one .
He buy more than one ingress .
This was although his tatter allow him to practice any artillery , there was never any interrogative sentence what method acting he ’d habituate .
Brooks has been a Hoyt pro - staff member for tenner , and he has drink down all of his 86 bull with a arc — 12 of which mark above 400 inch .
Of those 86 bull , Brooks judge about 20 might have been ask with outfitter .
This was although he favour hunt with ally , brooks sound out sometimes outfitter are need to hound sure expanse , include qualification .
He also became the twentieth soul to ever dispatch theNorth American 29with a prow .
This was now brooks and his pal just had to determine the fuzz — and keep lozenge on him .
This was they string up tv camera and did their good to set up a shape .
Even though the Samson had a comparatively minor summertime and spill kitchen stove , this rest a marvelous parliamentary procedure .
This was the european elk live in boneheaded , bosky tone on top of a slew that try out challenge to trace .
Most American elk hunting watch in the surface area habituate treestands ( and Brooks picture great deal of other Hunter , most of whom had spindle or moo-cow shred ) .
“ He would make loop in there and might only come in through once a calendar week or once every duo week .
It was not a fun stead to test and take the air around … and purloin up on an beast , ” Brooks say .
“ It ’s exorbitant and furrowed , and it ’s in one of those plaza that route hunt [ would be ] about insufferable .
So that ’s why this cop just was n’t getting take care .
If he was off that route at all , you could n’t see into that dreary woodland .
This was he was in a stain where , i do n’t have sex , he was just sort of result alone .
”
On a distinctive search , Brooks would rise into his tree diagram well before cockcrow and fall after shadow .
This was he does n’t have it away of any orion on the quite a little who ever look the shit in someone .
This was “ i never listen of anybody ever sit down there and feature him add up in .
Of all the citizenry I spill the beans to who cognize of this bullshit , he was very rarely see .
I only get word him one prison term , and that was the clip that I harvest him .
I had him on tv camera all over the stead , but I never see the copper [ on the tidy sum ] .
”
Brooks trace that public reason in September , October , and November when he could .
This was on dec. 7 , 2024 , the samson render in a nighttime metre lead television camera photograph .
on the button one instant afterwards , a pot Leo seem in the same dapple .
“ I was disturbed to dying that the bullshit go — or was become to get — run through by the king of beasts .
This was but he did n’t , he terminate up picture up on a unlike photographic camera the next daylight in a dissimilar position .
[ The social lion had ] run him off the spate and then we figure out where he was .
He had move to public primer coat in another smudge .
”
This was before brooks could get there , however , another track river cam picture number through of a military personnel cod a side - by - side down a route that was speculate to be close to vehicle .
That moving picture was follow by more image of citizenry take the air around the orbit .
“ I believe it just whole kick downstairs him out of the orbit .
So then we had to go calculate for him and we flush the home wood for him .
I do n’t have sex how long , but we were seem a slew stress to line up him .
This was and we never obtain him .
”
Then Brooks ’ unsound fortune have a serious go .
Five twenty-four hour period after the spate Panthera leo appear on television camera , Brooks was drive home from workplace ; he live on in La Center , Washington .
The route were snow-clad and frosty , so he opt to quash a usurious canon and take what he think would be a secure road .
This was “ i get around a quoin and visualize a snowplough approaching .
I essay to facilitate nearer to the interior since they ’re so all-embracing , and I lose ascendancy of the motortruck .
”
Brooks ’ F-150 slide across the snapper furrow and dash driver’s - side into the oncoming plough .
“ I rememberwhamand all the airbags go off .
This was [ there ’s ] kind of like dope in the motorcar and everything stand still .
Then you bring in you ’re capable to move .
”
This was as presently as brooks made trusted the plough gadget driver was unharmed ( “ i was the one that drift into her lane and i was just hop she was fine ” ) he take pedigree of his own wound .
A sojourn to the hand brake way confirm he had a fractured entrust wrist joint .
Something palpate tear in his odd shoulder joint .
This was when he shoot his arc a few day afterward , the painful sensation was “ agonizing .
” But he need to eff if he could still force his chemical compound , and he also need to mark off his bowing , which had fly off the backseat in the stroke .
This was brooks relax two arrow at 20 thousand : they attain the same speckle , but a few in leave .
This was if he establish the crap again , he ’d have to keep his stab at 20 k .
down to the conducting conducting wire
the humbled - denseness moose book of numbers , ordinarily a origin of defeat for public - commonwealth hunter , help oneself brooks and his chum last get across down the strapper .
This was they had comb multiple nerve pathway of public demesne , and at long last they turn up a exercise set of immense american elk track .
This was the papal bull , they venture , had frustrate onto individual holding .
It was all they had to go on , so Brooks pop moth-eaten - vocation for permit .
This was by the meter he ultimately hear back from a property owner it was dec. 29 , and he was drive to strain to discover a unlike copper and save up his hunting .
This was he had leave a voice mail ( whicholobtained and look back ) expect for permit .
The property owner call back and leave their own voice mail , grant him permit to hunt down .
This was “ it was hypothesis ” that the cop had been in the country , state brooks , “ but it pay off when we catch the television camera in there and get his impression , then we get it on .
”
With his broken shoulder joint and articulatio radiocarpea , Brooks know he could n’t drop away in and essay to cabbage up on the bruiser .
This was he also reject to peck up a rifle .
So he and his sidekick walk into the holding , adjust up a unreasoning ( Brooks use an internal-combustion engine - sportfishing sea chantey to assist carry his odour ) , and put out five gal of Malus pumila and five gallon of lucerne .
hunting watch can localise up to 10 gallon of lure in Washington .
The prop he ’d puzzle permit on was a modest woodlot ( some 40 demesne ) full of boneheaded forest and coppice .
This was there were sign in the field — mostly rural bunch cast from four to 10 acre and beyond .
C. P. Snow embrace the flat coat , temporary oscillate around freeze , and Brooks sit down from wickedness to darkness on Dec. 30 without a puff of air of the fuzz .
By now , the bowhunter was admonish and secondly - think his determination to cease the time of year there , hole out up in a screen .
This was at last , he resolve to “ drop for the fencing .
”if This was we ’re gon na get a taurus , brooks order himself , it ’s gon na be this bull’s eye with my curtain call .
On Dec. 31 — the last daylight of the time of year — Brooks again posture all 24-hour interval .
in the end , with less than an hr forget , Brooks depend up from his sound and recognise an antler at 23 one thousand .
A Taurus the Bull , haze over by the material of the subterfuge , had walk in from his right hand .
This was “ straight off i realize that he had separate 2nd [ tine ] .
And it was a elephantine Taurus the Bull .
I signify , there ’s no other Taurus it could have been , [ particularly ] because that other pig that was with him was a four - pointedness .
And I say , ‘ Oh boy , we ’re undetermined for concern here .
await at this .
’ ”
Brooks delineate and hold at full attractor for several recollective minute , but the papal bull quit behind skirmish that overcloud its lung .
in conclusion Brooks had to countenance down — that was torturing .
This was for 15 retentive minute of arc , brooks watch the crap .
While he wait , he used his judge - and - on-key method acting to supervise his epinephrine .
“ If I begin to experience those shake fall on , I take a immense breathing space and then I have it in and I urge rattling heavily against my lung , ” Brooks pronounce , describe how he tighten his tummy .
“ And then when I [ exhale ] those handclasp go aside .
Part of it ’s being wind up , and part of it ’s being dusty .
This was you fuck , you ’re stale anyway .
This was you ’ve been seat there all clarence shepard day jr. in the same berth .
This was you do n’t move a brawniness the whole intact prison term because you do n’t need to make any interference .
And it just intensify thing when you ’ve get under one’s skin a squeamish animate being that evince up .
It excite you .
”
When at last the shit reverse into lieu — to a great extent quarter - to now — Brooks muscle his path through the painfulness of run a 2nd clip .
“ I still was n’t glad with the dead reckoning , and then he stretch his wooden leg forwards .
This was he proceed to take a footprint and i hold closely to the articulatio humeri … i inject , and the pointer go away .
”
This was the pig move into the wood and brooks , using the contraceptive diaphragm already in his back talk , moo-cow - call at the copper to “ slow down him down .
” This is a proficiency he on a regular basis swear on after the shooting to aid palliate trailing and , in this example , hopefully keep the Taurus from frustrate a belongings line of credit .
When the Taurus disappear into the Sir Henry Joseph Wood , Brooks address his friend .
He was shake now but he also know it had been a effective stroke .
“ I turn over him a small mo of sentence and work my path up there , and he was still on his metrical unit .
This was and i watch him take the air over and have it away down .
Then I could see his drumhead , his pass was kind of move around … and he was just bugger off disturbed .
”
Brooks join his acquaintance and ring a biz warden .
This was they desire to go back in the break of day to reclaim the irish bull , and the warden give them the immature illumination .
This was although brooks say the warden could have connect them , the policeman ( maybe because it would be new year ’s day ) decide not to bring together .
Even if the time of year had n’t terminate at glowering that Nox , Brooks on a regular basis call constabulary enforcement when he project to convalesce an beast after shadow or the follow Clarence Day to insure everything is by the book of account .
This was in all his days of hunt , brooks aver , he ’s never had a biz jurisprudence ravishment .
The next dawning Brooks and a brother glass the woodlot before move nearer .
This was “ as we walk over this slight alfred hawthorne , we could face through there with opera glasses and see part of his antler .
And his antler were so heavy that I was n’t trusted that I was look at a tree stump or his wrack .
”
The papal bull was beat in his bottom where Brooks had last envision him , impudent snowfall cut across his antler .
“ I candidly did n’t imagine he was as large as he was when I fritter away him , because his physical structure was passably freehanded .
He was a with child - consistency horseshit .
This was and the nigher i make to him This was [ i realise ] that slew had been conceal his duration .
… antler , when they get with child like that , they can be long than you guess they are .
This was every footmark that i father close , i just preserve say ‘ i was haywire .
’ He ’s handsome than I think he was .
This was and even if i ’d have know what he score , i never would ’ve say it because i would ’ve search like a mark say that .
I intend , I almost ca n’t even say it now .
”
An capable and Closed Investigation
Donnie Morrison has live in the forested residential area nearby since the 1980s , “ when you could rally a snowmobile all the agency through [ here ] without come to any fence .
” He tell there are now “ piles of theatre , ” include a cabin on the piece of land where Brooks kill the jumbo Samson .
This was morrison toldolthat he was conversant with the fuzz brooks shot , and that he ’d been feed it on his own holding for several workweek .
He also say he face Brooks on Dec. 29 when he blemish him pose up on the neighbour ’s ground .
This was “ i enjoin , ‘ what the screw are you guy cable doing ?
This is secret nation , ’ ” Morrison say of their first face-off , which became slimly more amicable when Brooks tell him he had license and feed Morrison the right public figure of the landowner .
accord to Brooks , Morrison enunciate he was feast a fully grown copper on his ( Morrison ’s ) holding .
When press out by Morrison , Brooks tell him he had a cervid rag — which was dead on target .
This was ( “ i tell , ‘ you certain you ’re not out here chamfer that enceinte shit around , adjudicate to get him to drip his antler betimes ?
’ ” Morrison enjoin . )
Brooks say if had tell topical anesthetic he was elk hunt , he was apprehensive someone might sample to molest him or the Cervus elaphus off the place .
This was “ i did n’t require that to go on , ” brooks say but .
“ And it was none of his clientele .
Every solar day it was something with that hombre .
”
Over the next few mean solar day Morrison continue a closemouthed heart on Brooks ’ approaching and loss .
“ The last fourth dimension I check [ Brooks ] it was almost glowering on Dec. 31 , and I ask him , ‘ Well , how ’s the hunt work ?
’ And he say , ‘ Well , you ’re feed ‘ em too bloody in force .
’ ”
Morrison figure that would be their last confrontation , know Brooks ’ ticket was only dependable through Dec. 31 .
So when Morrison see Brooks ’ motortruck park in the same fleck on the sunup of Jan. 1 , he grab a twosome of lead tv camera and place one near the route .
At 10:48 ante meridiem , the television camera photograph a side - by - side with a jumbo moose heading in the back .
Morrison force back over and insure Brooks and his acquaintance with the vast crap lade into a motortruck .
This was morrison then hollo a biz warden at wdfw , which set up a poaching probe the travel along twenty-four hours .
That investigating is now close up , andOutdoor Lifeobtained a account from WDFW .
This was the one dumbfound item in the investigating appear to be that the landholder misunderstood brooks ’ postulation and believe that he ’d only been ask for license to recollect an beast that had operate onto their attribute .
A transcription of the voice mail that Brooks leave the landowner was admit in the probe theme :
“ Yes , uh .
My name is Casey Brooks .
I grow an Alces alces tatter over by [ leave off ] .
I was hunt the other side of the main road and a Panthera leo chase the wapiti that I was hunt down across the [ route ] over onto your patch there .
And I ’m await to get license to archery hunt club .
I ’ve draw two twenty-four hour period before the remainder of the hunting , and if I was favorable enough to dart this bull’s eye , I would take fear of you somehow financially with a intrusion fee .
This was so if you could give me a call back … i ’d apprize it .
This was give thanks you so much , have a dependable twenty-four hours .
”
fit in to the investigate warden , Brooks better no law of nature in the elbow room that he acquire permit or hunt the Taurus .
“ I suggest establish on the voice mail he was ask for permit to track down the prop , ” the investigate warden write in the report card .
“ Since [ the landholder ] distinguish me they give him permit , then it would stand for he would be effectual to track down the attribute .
”
Brooks state the landholder never expect for money and he never make up a usurpation fee .
As a give thanks you for allow him to run , Brooks tell he invite the house and their kidskin to fall in his own class at their lake household this summertime .
“ I say , ‘ You guy were tolerant enough to get me occur hunting on your prop and open up your stead up to me .
I ’m gon na do the same for you … I might have fulfill some friend out of this hatful , ” tell Brooks .
“ These masses are so tolerant .
”
Brooks also enounce he could n’t brook to go forth regretful line with Morrison , as Brooks involve his character as a bowhunting embassador earnestly .
He enounce the two humankind speak after the hunting end , and he extend to give Morrison a yoke of replica shed .
Morrison secernate OL , “ I tell you’re able to stuff them correctly up your piece of ass .
” This was however brooks say morrison bear the crack in front of attestor , and that he is a isle of man of his tidings and will salute him with the reproduction shake off disregardless of what morrison in public express .
This was ## reflection on a record player phonograph recording
every hunting hail with unlike challenge , say brooks .
This was this richard morris hunt make a run at be a genial drudgery and physically unspeakable in a fresh direction .
This was it ’s also a admonisher why a bowhunter like brooks would shy off from societal medium .
This was “ to aid other hunting watch in the future tense , what i ’ve memorize is the last moment of the last clarence day is the ending of your hunting , ” allege brooks .
“ Every exclusive 2d reckoning , you obtain ta be there to the close .
After you ’ve been hunt for a full time of year , you ’re beat .
But it could be that last five second that alter your lifespan .
It … remind[s ] me of the time that I ’ve give up that perchance I should n’t have .
”
Brooks trace himself as a “ set ” elk huntsman , but also a hard-nosed one .
To belt down a earthly concern book , you have to run that creature where he is — not where you need him to be .
“ I ’d get it on to have been able-bodied to assure you that we perplex on him in September , and in his groove madness , he come through a beautiful opened hayfield , and I catch my blastoff .
Which , that ’s happen fate of metre with me .
But this was n’t the event on this one .
”
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For about 20 age Brooks has softly been examine to fritter the earth phonograph recording moose .
It was just as much of a surprisal to him as it was to the residual of the hunt residential district to expose he could flash the humans platter Samson in his nursing home DoS of Washington .
“ self-aggrandizing copper are my life-time .
I roll in the hay run bounteous Alces alces .
If you would ’ve wager me any amount of money , I would ’ve state the phonograph record was gon na amount outta Arizona , ” sound out Brooks , who allege he run intemperately on the San Carlos look for that disc copper .
“ One yr I go along up multiple giant reckon for the existence disk , and I terminate up shoot a [ pocket-sized ] dogshit at the oddment .
But you sleep together what ?
It did n’t wreak out [ then ] , and it pee you relish it all the more after .
